Intel could start supplying Apple with chips again, with the earliest tie-up coming as soon as 2027, according to one prominent Apple analyst.

Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Intel could begin shipping Apple’s lowest-end M processor, used in the MacBook Air and iPad Pro, as early as the second or third quarter of 2027. Currently, Apple is using TSMC for manufacturing of its M processors; the Taiwan-based manufacturing giant controls a huge chunk of the global market for making chips.

Kuo thinks that Apple could be trying to show “strong support” for the Trump administration’s strongly promoted “Made in USA” policy, though it will still be highly reliant on the Taiwan firm for chips for the foreseeable future. Kuo highlighted that the MacBook Air and iPad Pro only account for up to 20 million sales a year, a fairly small portion of Apple’s overall sales.

Apple and Intel have not officially commented on rumors. In addition, Kuo says that any timeline for the switch depends on how the development process unfolds from here.

If the analyst's predictions are true, it would represent a fairly significant reversal for Apple. It began moving away from Intel processors in Macs in 2020 to its own self-designed M-series chips, based on tech from British firm Arm. But there were no reports of Apple using Intel to manufacture any of the higher-end chips, such as the Ultra, used in the MacBook Pro.

The move would also be a big win for Intel, as Kuo feels that it could prove the American manufacturer can still attract “tier one” clients like Apple. Intel stock was up 10% following the news. However, MacRumors notes that Intel would only be assisting with manufacturing; before 2020, it designed x86 chips based on its own designs.

Many of the tech world's most prominent figures have pointed to Intel as a company in decline, with Bill Gates saying that he was surprised to see the company, which announced major layoffs in late 2024, had "lost its way."

By: DocMemory
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